BB&T Corp (BBT): Today's Highlighted Banking Leader

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

BB&T ( BBT) pushed the Banking industry higher today making it today's featured banking winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.2%. By the end of trading, BB&T rose 39 cents (1.3%) to $31.21 on average volume. Throughout the day, 3.3 million shares of BB&T exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 4.1 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $30.83-$31.27 after having opened the day at $30.97 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $30.82. Other companies within the Banking industry that increased today were: Independent Bank Corp (Ionia MI ( IBCP), up 13.6%, Porter Bancorp ( PBIB), up 9%, Wolverine Bancorp ( WBKC), up 6.9%, and Carver Bancorp ( CARV), up 6.7%.

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BB&T Corporation operates as a financial holding company that provides various banking and trust services for retail and commercial clients. BB&T has a market cap of $21.56 billion and is part of the financial sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 11.4, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 5.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there are six analysts that rate BB&T a buy, one analyst rates it a sell, and 18 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates BB&T as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income, expanding profit margins and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself.